index toe cramping..any way to avoid this?

After playing for an hour or longer my right index toe cramps. I tried taping it. That seemed to give some relief. I'm playing in k swiss big shot shoes. Anyone have a solution to this problem? The shoes are about 3 months old. I play 4 to 5 times a week. I've been playing in k swiss for more than 1 1/2 years.

Toe cramps happen to me when I'm low on potassium, which can have many causes such as diet, taking medications such as cortisone or diuretics, etc. Taking one potassium pill per day, in my case, prevents these. Don't take more than that per day though unless a doctor prescribes it.

Thanks. I am currently experimenting with my shoes. The K Swiss have a great deal of room in the toes. When I lace them as tightly as possible on the lower part of the shoe I found it provides some relief. Leading me to believe I need a shoe that will afford more ability to lace up in the toe area tightly. The K Swiss design precludes that. I am going to try a pair of Asics. I ran for years and found they served the function well. so it is worth a try. And the design will enable a tight lacing at the toe level.

My anatomy reference does not show very much muscle at all in the toes, mostly tendons from muscles farther back in the foot. Maybe you are restricting blood flow in your foot with the shoe and tight lacing?

I read that two important causes of cramps are 1) lack of electrolytes and 2) lack of blood flow. I can give myself an instant hamstring cramp by doing the popular quad stretch that pulls the ankle up from the rear. That cramp might be caused by lack of blood flow. ?

Unlike your cramps, several of my toes would cramp a little when outside my shoes. The range of motion of my toes had decreased over the years, I believe, from exercising only while wearing shoes that confined the toes. I now stretch the individual toes while watching TV and also move them to the end of their ROMs and apply hard muscle force. I hardly notice the toe cramps anymore.

For diet issues, search for food sources of potassium, magnesium, and other minerals and vitamins that can cause cramps and see if your diet might be short. This can be tricky. For example, bananas are a 'good' source of potassium. But the body should get about twice as much potassium as sodium and several (10?) bananas per day are required for the 4 grams of potassium. Vegetables are also good sources of potassium, magnesium, etc......

A good book for sports and nutrition is Advanced Sports Nutrition, D. Benardot

My anatomy reference does not show very much muscle at all in the toes, mostly tendons from muscles farther back in the foot. Maybe you are restricting blood flow in your foot with the shoe and tight lacing?

I read that two important causes of cramps are 1) lack of electrolytes and 2) lack of blood flow. I can give myself an instant hamstring cramp by doing the popular quad stretch that pulls the ankle up from the rear. That cramp might be caused by lack of blood flow. ?

Unlike your cramps, several of my toes would cramp a little when outside my shoes. The range of motion of my toes had decreased over the years, I believe, from exercising only while wearing shoes that confined the toes. I now stretch the individual toes while watching TV and also move them to the end of their ROMs and apply hard muscle force. I hardly notice the toe cramps anymore.

For diet issues, search for food sources of potassium, magnesium, and other minerals and vitamins that can cause cramps and see if your diet might be short. This can be tricky. For example, bananas are a 'good' source of potassium. But the body should get about twice as much potassium as sodium and several (10?) bananas per day are required for the 4 grams of potassium. Vegetables are also good sources of potassium, magnesium, etc......

A good book for sports and nutrition is Advanced Sports Nutrition, D. Benardot

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Thanks. Is a symptom of a lack of potassium light headness? I played for two hours yesterday and had that happen.

Thanks. Is a symptom of a lack of potassium light headness? I played for two hours yesterday and had that happen.

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I don't know about the lightheadedness.

I forgot another recent issue of mine. My feet have changed size twice as an adult (not young). The last size increase was last year. My second toe is the longest and I finally noticed it because that toe was uncomfortable, rubbing more, and the nail had also bent down more on the end of my toe.

I found a website with the exact measurements for shoe size. At first, as an adult for many, many years, I was a size 12, then a 13, last year a 14!